Hat-brim-trimming machine



(Nqmodel.) y 5 sheets-shew 5.

o. H. REID. Hat-Brita Trimming Machine. ""No. 231,128. rPatented Feb. 1,1881.

N.PEERS, MTD-UNOGRAPNER. WSHXNGLON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

,cHnELEs H. REID, .OE DANBUEY, CONNECTICUT.

`H-.Vl-'BRIM-TfRl MlMING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,128, dated February 1, 1.8.8.1.

Application ledOctoher 8, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it `may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. REID, of Danbury, in the county of Fair-field, in the State .of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Im provement-in Machines for Trim-min g the Brims .of Hats, and for other purposes; and I .do hereby declare that .the following is a full and `exact ldescription of the same,`reference being had to .the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective viewof my machine. Fig. `2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 4 is a plan of the former or guide. Fig. 5 is va vertical section .of the same longitudinally. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, showing the shoe on the guide. Fig. f7 is a side elevation of the cutter-head. Fig. .Sis a transverse section of the same. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the cutter rudder or steerer. Fig. 10 is a plan of the shoe-carriage.

The object .of my invention is, iirst, to trim or .cut the brim 4of the hat at the proper distance from the Ebody all around; second, to cut it with the desired elliptical figure 5 third, to make .the operative parts of the machine adjustable to a certain curve, and afterthat selfcontrolling 4as it traverses the hat-brim; and it consists in a templeltlor guide-plate .the operative surface of which is that of a truncated elliptical curve, and whereof the upper and lower bases present figures of .different .ellipticities, and a self-controllin g shoe to traverse said templet, and an adjustable knife lthe -anguiar position whereof is controlled by said shoe and maintains always iu a plane tangent to the curve which is being described, and a means for adjusting said shoe to traverse a higher or lower line on-said conical templet, and .thereby impart a greater or less ellipticity tothecut. M

That others may fully understand my invention, I will particularly .describe it.

A is a bracket which supports my machine. It maybe fastened to any proper support.

B is the supporting-shaft .or stud mounted upon said bracket.

G is .the templet or guide-plate, the edge or operative surface of which is that of an elliptical curve, horizontal sections of which will 5o present figures of different elliptici ties, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4, which present the top and bottom outlines of said plate.

D is the clamp Whereon t-he hat is .placed andheldwhilethebrimisbeingcut. Thisclamp consists of a series of radial arms, a', engaged in a proper way with a rotating scroll-wheel,

b', whereby they may be simultaneously lprojected or withdrawn and two or more elastic steel plates attached to or engaged with the 6o outer extremities of two of said arms, so that when the latter are projected the said steel plates will conform to the figure of the hatbody and by expansion securely hold it. The scroll-wheel, or its substitute, may be operated by a central shaft or spindle, cl', and a handwheel, E, below the bracket.

F is a swinging arm mounted upon the shaft B, and free to rotate thereon and carry the knife G around the hat. The knife G is 7o mounted in a head, a, which is hinged at the back end to the carrier b, so that it may be thrown back during adjustment of the parts. r:Ihe carrier bis mounted upon the slide d, with a circular bearing, e', and is capable of partial 75 rotation thereon as it is controlled to maintain its plane of cut tangential to the curve of the cut. The stop-screw h in the slot t" -prevent-s excess of motion or displacement of the head b. The slide dis adjustable back .and 8o forth on the sliding head El to set the knife at the proper distance from the body, and is .held at .the proper point .by a set-screw, c2. A clamp, g, holds the knife down while it is in action. 8 5

The shoe I has two points of bearing upon the Vtemplet C, and these are provided with hemispherical bearers t' t', which rest in sockets in the shoe, and rotate therein in any ,direction .to conform to the varying inclinations 9o of the surface .of the templet. They may be heldin place by a exible cord, as shown. rEhe shoe I is pivoted to the extremity .of a slide, J, and is provided with a slotted extension, k, which vibrates as the shoe adjusts itself to the surface of the templet.

The slide J may be moved up and down upon vertical guides g', which are themselves attached to the sliding head 1I, so that b v adjusting said slide J to the proper point ou the templet to secure the desired curve of cut, the sliding head Il will move out and in as the shoe moves over surfaces varying in distance from the cutter. A spring, K, causes the forward movement of the sliding head II.

The vertical adjustment ofthe shoe may be effected by the screw L.

An arm, M, pivoted to the head b, projects downward therefrom and enters the slit in the extension-piece l.' of the shoe I, so that as the latter vibrates said head I; is rotated to the same extent, and as the shoe will always maintain a position tangent to the curve of the templet the knife (l will be always maintained in a corresponding position.

In a machine operating a cutting-blade and causing said blade to follow an irregular line it is necessary to obviate all irregularities of resistance, because the cutting-blade tends strongly' to follow a straightline and uniformly resists all changes of direction. A uniform resistance in the knife, coupled with variable application of power to the knife, will cause a corresponding inequality ofaction in the knife. Such a variable application of power will occur if any part of the mechanism immediately connected with the knife becomes cramped in its movement.

To obviate all liability to cramping, the arm M is pivoted in a longitudinal slot in a cylindrical bearing, m, which is placed in a corresponding horizontal and longitudinal seat made in the bearing e. The arm M is therefore capable of swinging on its transverse pivot, and also of a lateral vibration ou the bearing m, and is therefore capable of yielding in any direction which may be compounded of these two motions. 1n like manner the extension kconsists of a cylindrical piece or bolt seated in a corresponding: socket in the shoe I, and having a longitudinal slot to receive the arm M, so that said part k may be snugly fitted to said arm M, but may also yield if the carriage d and shoe I he out of line with each other.

The gage-slide 1 is provided with graduations, and serves to indicate the position of the knife to cut any desired width of brim.

The indicator k and the corresponding scale on the frame enable the operator to reset the machine to cut the same curvature when, for any reason, its adjustment has been disturbed.

The gage-point m' penetrates the hat and prevents it from moving upon the clamp I).

rEhe templet or guide C is made easily separable from the remainder of the machine, so that it may be removed and a new teinplet substituted.

N is the handle b v which the arm l is caused to rotate.

Havingdescribed my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. A templet, C, whose operative surface is that ofa truncated elliptical cone whose upper and lower bases are of different ellipticities, combined with a shoe having two points of bearing upon said templet and an adjustable knife whose plane of cutis controlled by said shoe, substantially for the purpose set forth.

2. The shoe I, pivoted to the slide J, combined with two liemispherical bearers, z', in corresponding sockets in said shoe, whereby said bearers are self-adj usting to the variations of surface over which they traverse.

3. The pivoted shoe I, pivoted to the slide J, and provided with the slotted extension lc, combined with the knife G and pivoted head b, provided with the arm M, whereby the vibrations ot' the shoe are communicated to the knife, as set forth.

4. The templet C and shoe I, mounted on the slide J and provided with the slot kin the self-adjustin g cylinder, as described, combined with the slide H and the arm M, pivoted in the cylindrical bearing m, as set forth.

5. An elliptical templet, O, and a shoe provided with two points of contact with said templet, so that the angular position ot' said shoe will bear a constant relation to the tangent of the curve of the templet between said points of contact, combined with a knife-carriage and knife controlled by said shoe to cause said knife-blade to maintain a constant position tangent to the curve ofthe ellipse described.

6. A central stud, B, mounted at its base upon some proper support, and provided at its head with an expansibleclamp to hold the hat, and an elliptical templet, U, combined with a swinging arm, F, which has its bearing on the stud B, and a shoe mounted on said arm and traversing the edge of said templet, and a knife-carriage, also carried by said arm, but controlled by said shoe to cut the hatbrim with au elliptical curve correspondingr to the curve of the teinplet, as set forth.

7. A hat-clamp composed of a scroll-wheel, b', and radial arms a in engagement therewith, combined with two or more elastic plates, D, each fastened at its middle to one of said arms to form an expansible flexible elliptic clamp to hold a hat, as set forth.

8. A knife-block, a, hinged at one end to a pivoted knife-carriage, b, and provided with a clamp, g, combined with an adjustable block, d, mounted on a slide, H, whereby said knifecarriage is advanced, and a gage, 1, and setscrew, whereby the proper adjustments are obtained and maintained.

9. A templet, C, the upper and lower bases whereof are of different ellipticities, and a vertically-adjustable shoe, I, adapted to traverse said templet, and a carriage and knife controlled by said slice, combined with mechan- IOO IIO

ism whereby said shoe may be vertically adit, and a vertically-adjustable self-regulating justed to cause it to traverse a line of preshoe traversing said templet, and an adj usta- 1o ferred ellipticity, substantially as set forth. bleknife, which, after adjnstmcnt,is controlled l0. A hat-trimming machine composed, esby said shoe, as set forth.

5 sentially, of a hat-clamp, D, and. a conical CHAS. H. REID.

templet, C, as described, mounted upon a suita- Witnesses: ble shaft, combined with an arm, F, mounted W. B. BARTRAM, upon said shaft and capable of rotation around JAMES E. WALSH. 

